THE PRICE OF IGNORANCE

“There is always a price to be paid for what you don’t know. You pay to get it or for not getting it.” - Terry Mante

YEARS ago, when I was at St. Peter’s Secondary School (now St. Peter’s Senior High School), I ventured into students politics. I aimed to be the school’s library prefect. There were three other contenders for that same position. I had very good policy propositions that I thought would prevail in the school’s political market. In the run-up to the elections, I did quite a good work interacting with small groups and individuals.

Then came the big day; the crowning moment. The day all aspirants were to deliver their final message to the entire student community. Without a plan, I stood in front of the school and I went dead. Everything in my head evaporated. I stood there and managed to mumble some stuff that I still don’t remember. The election results? You can guess.

Then onwards, I realised that what you don’t know is a big deal and can kill you. I did not realise hitherto that public speaking is an art that ought to be deliberately learnt. Even if you have something in your head, you should know how to spill it out. Subsequent to that experience, I picked up a copy of Dale Carnegie’s How to Develop Self-confidence Through Public Speaking and began my speaking course. Now I find that a substantial aspect of my professional life involves speaking to people. I give talks, interview people, moderate meetings and even teach people how to speak. Learning how to speak has become an integral part of my professional life. Imagine the opportunities I would have missed if I had not looked at that aspect of my personal development. I couldn’t become the Library Prefect of St Peter’s simply because of my ignorance. I didn’t know that I didn’t know how to speak.

That is life. Every space of ignorance in your life is a breeding ground for failure in certain aspects of your life. Is it possible that the state of deprivation of many third world economies is as a result of something the people and their leaders do not know? Have you considered why you may be broke? Maybe it’s because of something you don’t know. Why is it that people who are so much in love with each other could become fierce enemies? That is likely to be the price they are paying for something they didn’t know earlier or still don’t know.

There is always a price to be paid for what you don’t know. You pay to get it or for not getting it. You’ve got to find a way to cure your ignorance before it kills you. To do that, I offer four prescriptions.

1. Make a conscious decision. You have to decide to learn. Your resolve will impel you to take the necessary steps to knowledge. Jim Powell recounts what an associate of Thomas Edison said of the great inventor, “He spent his money buying apparatus and books, and wouldn’t buy clothing. That winter, he went without an overcoat and nearly froze.” Isn’t that ridiculous? Well, that was Edison’s decision. That was his price. You too must decide. Will you read or sleep? Funeral or study? Which will you sacrifice – party or library? Learning is a deliberate course of action that has its opportunity costs.

2. Be open-minded. All of us have prejudices. Most of the time, prejudices are not substantial. They are formed on the basis of misinformation or false perceptions. On the flip side, if we are liberal about our beliefs, we would be able to learn correctly.

3. Be conscious and honest about what you don’t know. Will Rogers thought that, “Everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.” I definitely concur. There is no person who can claim to know everything. Ignorance is not wrong, although it can be costly. Honesty about our ignorance will position us to pursue knowledge.

4. Be eager to cure your ignorance. While I emphasise that we cannot know everything, we should not use that as a pretext to stop learning. Life is dynamic. New things emerge everyday and we have to consciously take steps to keep abreast of issues. What you don’t know can cost you your job, your friends or even your life. Don’t settle for ignorance.


© 2011 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana

FOUR RICH FOOLS

IF YOU have money, you can do a lot of things. You can afford a decent accommodation, pay for your utility consumption, eat good food, finance your medical bills and so forth. All things being equal, the availability of money could reduce a person’s level of stress in life. With lots of money, people can live significant lives by making an impact on society; feeding the poor, offering educational scholarships and supporting other good causes. All these make the pursuit of riches noble and desirable.

But then, it must also be noted that an untamed desire for wealth could make one a rich fool. A rich fool is one whose only claim to significance is the wealth they possess. They see their worth only in the fatness of their wealth. I present to you four categories of such people.

THE HEADLESS

HEADLESS people give up their conscience in exchange for money. They are prepared to do whatever it takes to make money. They suppose that the end justifies the means. They don’t think of the consequences of following a particular path so long as that path will lead to money. Some pursue money at the expense of their dignity. Others do so by trading off their mission in life.

If you make money the most importance thing in your life, it will cause you to devalue yourself and make compromises that will have irreversible consequences. Before you make a choice for money, have a second look at what you are giving up for it. If it includes your head, then you’ve got to think twice.

THE HEARTLESS

ANYTIME I hear a report on human trafficking, I cringe. It is only those who have no heart for people who would be involved in such obnoxious money-making enterprises. I’ve seen friends become bitter towards each other because of money. Families break up due to people’s uncontrolled desire to make money.

But you see, you can’t sacrifice key relationships to be rich and think your life will be enriched. Money is worthless without people. If you prioritise money to the neglect of crucial relationships, you will be a lonely soul.

THE HINDLESS

THE net worth of an individual is determined not by what they have but by what they contribute to society. Your legacy is more important than your empire. If you focus only on acquisitions, society will repudiate you. If you strive to build an enduring legacy, society will respect you. Your memory will be honoured.

Hindless people care less about posterity. They are only interested in the here and now. A good life is one that continues to live even after it is dead. In 1888, when brother of Alfred Nobel died, a French newspaper erroneously published the death notice of Alfred. The paper discredited him for his invention of dynamite. The notice said, “The merchant of death is dead” and went on to narrate that “Dr Alfred Nobel… became rich by finding ways to kill more people faster than ever before.” This publication disturbed Nobel hence his decision to leave a better legacy after his death.

Later in 1895, Alfred Nobel signed his last will and testament which bequeathed the bulk of his estates to fund the Nobel Prizes. Today, the Nobel Prizes are arguably the most prestigious, coveted and credible brand of honorary scheme in the world. Many people do not remember Alfred Nobel for his wealth. His name is not even often mentioned in reference to his inventions. The world celebrates him because of his legacy of the prizes.

Don’t live with the sole aim of making money without a design to leave a lasting legacy.

THE HEALTHLESS

MONEY without good health is vain. Why would you sacrifice your health to make money and use the money to pay for treatment? In your pursuit for wealth, be sure to make time for callisthenics, balanced diet, recreation and rest. If you love your life, you will give consideration to your health when you make your money moves. Without good health, you will not live to enjoy your money.


© 2011 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana

LOSING YOUR VIRGINITY

“Curiosity kills the cat. That is very sad. But the good news is that you are not a cat.” - Terry Mante

THE CURSE OF IMMATURITY

YOUNG, not fully developed, lacking wisdom, emotional instability – that is immaturity. In my life I have met thirty-year olds who are not so mature and I have met twenty-year olds who I would describe as quite mature. Let me tell you how I make such judgements.

If you are thirty or fifty and you feel that the reason your life is in bad shape is because your parents didn’t take care of you well, or your boss doesn’t pay you well then you have a problem. Those situations may be factual but the truth is that you are immature. When you are immature, you expect others to take care of you. You don’t have a sense of responsibility. So you blame the government for the sickness of your child when in fact there is a choked gutter busily breeding mosquitoes right in front of your house. You run out of cash and you point fingers at your employer for not paying you well enough when on Fridays, you give up your money at the bar or cinema.

Maturity is not a matter of age. It’s a wisdom issue. Without maturity, you cannot live a fulfilled life. You will not be able to do the things you must do in life. You will lack the attitude, skill and knowledge to drive the course of your life towards the destination you desire. Immature people do not step out to do anything worthwhile because they are afraid to make mistakes. They do not want to be held responsible for their actions. Mature people take responsibility, act and when they make a mistake, they learn from it and move on.

THE CRY OF INEXPERIENCE
IS IT possible to achieve something new without doing something you have never done before? I don’t think so. In her book Sudden Death (1983) Rita Mae Brown defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results.” I agree with this definition. As a matter of fact, I think it is an extreme form of insanity. Without the willingness to alter your actions, there will be no improvement in your life. You need to cultivate a degree of adventurism and dare the odds.

Don’t be too comfortable where you are. Be prepared to change. Decide to do something you have never done before. Acquire new experiences. Travel to a place you have never been before. Listen to a genre of music you have never paid attention to. Make a new friend. Learn a new sport. Take your children to an event they have never attended before. Wear a dress you wouldn’t ordinarily wear. Whatever it is, do something new. Experience something you’ve never experienced before.

Your inexperience could limit you and prevent you from reaching your highest potential. If the Wright brothers had said that only birds could fly, there probably would be no air planes in the world today. Or if Yuri Gagarin and his team had not dared to change their experience, the spatial realm would still have been a mystery. But these guys dared to stretch the frontiers of their experiences of life and opened all of us up to new possibilities.

YOU ARE NOT A CAT
YES, curiosity kills the cat. That is very sad. But the good news is that you are not a cat. You are a human being with a brain that can think, analyse and imagine. Don’t be afraid to dare the odds. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Feel free to ask questions, even controversial ones. Don’t worry so much about criticism. Don’t be afraid to be the odd one out. Most of the time, the odd ones are those who initiate change and progress. Listen to Einstein, “I live in that solitude which is painful in youth, but delicious in the years of maturity.” Immature people are uncomfortable with solitude. Mature people enjoy it.

If you are afraid to be alone, then you are immature. But if you want to demonstrate your maturity, then show that you believe in certain principles and ideals, which you are prepared to stand for. You may not fit in the class of your peers but you could be in a class of your own.

© 2011 Terry Mante
PEDNET
Accra, Ghana